


A Special Invitation

by ximeria



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Fluff, Humor, Loss, M/M, Pining, a bit of crack, how to seduce a hylian champion or a zora prince
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28310883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ximeria/pseuds/ximeria
Summary: From one royal to another; Sidon lets slip that all his courtship attempts have failed miserably and he's even been so careful to stick to specifically HYLIAN rituals, as he is worried Zora rituals might be too vague for a Hylian.Too bad for him that he's been trying to court Link, who, while interested, is not the best at picking up on flirting.
Relationships: Link/Prince Sidon
Comments: 8
Kudos: 255





	A Special Invitation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [meinposhbastard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/meinposhbastard/gifts).



> Happy Chrimbo, Merry Crisis! It's short but hopefully exactly what the doctor ordered LOL

"I do not know what I am doing wrong," Sidon said with a defeated huff.

The princess looked up from the various maps scattered over the table. They had more or less finalized the last decisions about where to widen the passages that would make travel to and from Zora's domain easier for merchants who were not gifted with the gills of the Zora or their ability to swim up waterfalls.

"I am sure he'll pick up on it eventually," Zelda replied, a soft smile on her face.

It should probably bother Sidon that she knew exactly what he was speaking of. Or rather whom. "He'll be old and grey by that time," Sidon muttered to himself. He didn't really blame Link for his focus on the things at hand and thus never picking up when Sidon engaged him in conversation, trying to gain his favour and romantic regard.

Zelda chuckled and shook her head. She rolled up the maps and put them aside, looking Sidon in the eyes. At least he was seated so he wasn't towering over her.

"I have seen you with him - you are a good friend to him," she said, obviously treading the path of diplomacy carefully. "And while I have never seen him show a romantic interest in anyone, he is fiercely loyal to his friends. Which you already knew."

Sidon nodded. He was well aware of it being both Link's greatest strength of character as well as making him vulnerable.

"Though he does act differently around you than any other envoy," she said slowly. "We see much of both Yonobu, Tega and Riju, and while he always greets them as old friends, you, he seeks out often when you visit or we come here." She pursed her lips and held his gaze. "He goes to you for hunting, for swimming and for speaking of your sister when you ask. Even with the things he still doesn't remember, he is always more than willing to open old wounds for you and no one else."

Sidon frowned. He hadn't considered that. That speaking of Mipha would-

"Sidon, do not for a moment think that means you should stop - it's good for him as well - with each conversation he has with you or your father about her, he remembers more."

Uneasy, Sidon sat back. "If you are sure."

"I am," she assured him. Zelda walked over to her own seat and sat down, still giving him her full attention. "And while I would say to give him time, perhaps it would be the wrong approach." She leaned forward in her seat. "What he remembers most, is always having to pay attention to everything. His surroundings, enemies, high positions that can grant him the overview and advantage in a battle. He sees details so miniscule, that it may be he will not notice even an open invitation."

"An open invitation," Sidon said to himself. He looked up at her. "Any more open, and I'd have to write him a gilded invitation with the words 'You are hereby invited to seduction, please dress accordingly and join me for dinner.'"

Zelda laughed out loud. "You may not be entirely wrong."

For the rest of the day, the idea would not leave him be. The few times he caught sight of Link, the idea would root itself even deeper in his mind. To the point where when Link waved at him, a broad smile on his face, Sidon felt utterly blessed that his scales did not show his flushed gills too badly.

The snigger from Bazz, however, meant he knew exactly who to rope into helping him. It was only fair, after all, if the Zora was going to be amused because his prince was in a bit of a pinch, then he could damned well help fix it.

\---

Link gestured at the letter and envelope on his unmade bed. He gave his ruler a perplexed look.

"I didn't think he'd actually do it," Zelda said apologetically.

Link felt like he'd been punched in the gut by a Bokoblin. He gestured again at the letter, no, the _invitation_ on his bed. He wanted an explanation. It was the kind of lovely pale blue invitation with the royal seal of the house of the Zora that he was sure was used for official events.

"I'm so sorry, my friend. I fear it may partly be my fault."

Link sank down on the bed, burying his face in his hands.

"I just never thought he'd be this direct." Zelda reached past him and took the invitation. "Bold, I have to admit that."

Link refused to lift his head. He felt as if his cheeks were on fire, as if he'd just run through Goron City without protective headgear. How was he supposed to reply to such an invitation?

"You are hereby invited to a seduction. Please dress in a garb you would wish to be seduced in and join me for dinner."

Zelda's voice was soft and warm and helped somewhat in grounding him. As long as he didn't imagine those words spoken by the damned prince who'd written them!

"I don't know whether to ask you if you are saying no or if you already know what to wear," Zelda said quietly. She had become quite adept at reading him at time and Link wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.

He wasn't really considering it, was he?

"You still have that lovely outfit from the Gerudo, do you not?"

Link shot up, gesturing at her. How could she even joke about it?

"Easy," Zelda cautioned, holding up both her hands. "I didn't mean anything by it. But you do look very lovely in it."

She'd know. He'd had to accompany her to Gerudo Town more than once, and while he quite enjoyed the place, and felt at home there - even dressed for subterfuge, in what were probably the most comfortable clothes he'd ever owned… One thing was doing it to pass through the gates, another was deliberately walking into the Zora prince's private chambers with no thought of diplomacy.

"No, perhaps a little too bold and out of character." Zelda cocked her head to the side. "I'm not going to push you on this - I wouldn't dream of it, but know at least that he means well and that he is very taken with you. Smitten, even."

Link sighed and let himself fall back on the bed, staring up at the muted blues of the chamber's ceiling. He sort of knew that, but every time the moment had come up, he'd lose his footing, so to speak. He wasn't good at these things. He barely had a memory beyond the last year; he'd spent that travelling and fighting…

Acting the seducee… He wasn't blind to people flirting with him, no matter what Zelda might think. Mostly he just either caught on to it too late to make it anything but awkward to react to it, or he was entirely not interested. In most cases it was the latter.

In all the cases with Sidon, it was most certainly the former.

"Well, you have a little time before he has asked you to… join him," Zelda said, ever the diplomat. "Just remember, you _can_ say no. He will respect it."

Of course he would. Sidon was the epitome of good and proper behaviour. Link didn't answer and he listened to the sound of Zelda leaving, the door closing quietly behind her. Whether or not he could say no wasn't the issue. Of course Sidon would accept either. He'd never pressure anyone into something they didn't want.

He rested his hand on his chest, feeling his heart still beating a little too fast. He'd ruin it, he'd do something that would embarrass them both. He wasn't good at these diplomacy things.

Though it wasn't really about that, was it? He had met so many people while he'd been travelling, learning the world anew. Some had grown to be friends and good ones too. And then there was Sidon who never failed to make Link smile, especially in the privacy of his own company.

When he thought about his first meeting with Sidon, he'd felt a little bowled over. The adult Zora were all taller than he was and Sidon towered over him even more, yet Link had never for a moment, beyond that startled first meeting, felt anything but safe around him. Not to mention welcome.

The Zora prince made him feel at ease, and… at home. He always had time for Link, was always more than willing to spend time in his company. And maybe that was it. Perhaps that was the sign for Link that Sidon was honest in his approach.

It wasn't that Link hadn't given it any thought since they'd first met. He could still remember how strong the Zora had been when carrying him towards Vah Ruta. The agility hadn't been lost on him either. Link wished he could remember what Sidon's skin had felt like as well, but he'd been fully kitted out and…

Link sat up so fast his head nearly spun. He hadn't worn that outfit since they'd arrived, but he'd brought it along. Just in case.

Pulling his satchel out, he unfolded one of his most prized possessions. Of all his armours, it had probably been the one that had been in the best state after his travels. Not that it was saying much. He'd mended the few tears and minor damages it had taken, but the Zora armour was a masterpiece and it had been made with durability and flexibility in mind.

The blue hues of it almost seemed to shine in the presence of the luminous stones in the walls. Link took a deep breath. Would it be the wrong signal to send when he knew that Mipha had created the chest piece for him as a token of love? He lifted his head and looked towards the reservoir. Vah Ruta had long since powered down and disappeared, along with the other Divine Beasts, shrines and towers.

The towers had submerged themselves after his final fight with Ganon and shrines and beasts had disappeared overnight.

Wherever Mipha's spirit was now, he hoped it was resting and free. That she would forgive him for bringing a token of her feelings for him to a meeting with her little brother.

Link closed his eyes and smiled to himself. He might still have trouble remembering more than a few things, but he remembered enough about her that he knew she'd tell him off for thinking like this. She'd loved them both, he had to believe that she'd want them to be happy.

Sidon had been the one to push for him to keep it after he'd freed Vah Ruta. A perfect gift and perhaps… the perfect thing to wear.

Would Sidon see it as the compliment it was meant as? Even if Link wasn't specifically doing it to be seduced.

Looking at the full armour he'd laid out on the bed, Link made his decision.

\---

Sidon wondered if he'd done the right thing when he'd changed his plans. And if Link would even show up. And if he did, what he'd wear, what he'd…

Shaking his head, Sidon tried to focus. He had sent Bazz to Link to let him know to meet him by the reservoir instead. Bazz had most graciously not asked why he'd changed the venue. It wasn't that Sidon had second thoughts, but asking Link to meet him in private, in what was more or less his bedroom would perhaps be a little… too straight forward. He had issued an invitation to a seduction and had planned one. He just had to accept that Link might say no and he needed a more neutral ground to do so.

Goddess Hylia, what was he even doing? Acting before thinking again, wasn't he? Like he had back in his childhood, gone up to Ploymus Mountain to face off against the Lynel there.

Sidon looked up towards Shatterback Rock, marvelling at the way the setting sun's last rays were hitting the peaks, almost making it look as if it was on fire.

Something glinted off the sunlight and Sidon watched with a feeling of gut-wrenching clarity, the figure throwing itself out from the peak with familiar wild abandon.

"You wouldn't love him if he wasn't like this," Sidon muttered to himself, torn between wanting to look away and staring in utter awe at the perfectly executed dive into the reservoir.

The latter won out. How could it not? The figure disappeared into the water with a minimum of a splash and the surface of the lake was quiet once again.

Before Sidon could worry too much, the surface of the water was once again broken, this time just off the pier he was standing on. With more grace than should be allowed, Link lifted himself up onto the pier and stood in front of Sidon, a defiant look to his face, as if Sidon would turn him away.

Dressed like that? It would take a Zora with a greater willpower than what Sidon possessed. He'd given it so little thought when he'd written that in the invitation, thinking of how many ways he'd seen Link dressed since their first meeting. And he'd come to the conclusion that no matter how Link turned up, Sidon wouldn't care.

He hadn't given it enough thought, had he? Seeing Link decked out in full Zora armour was possibly the one little detail Sidon had not considered. He knew Link, he should have seen it coming. Sidon wanted to say something, anything, _everything_.

Link stared back up at him, never for a moment looking away. Sidon knew from other Zora that the focus of the Champion could be a little too intense, but honestly, Sidon had never felt it that way. To him there was nothing like it, and he greedily took it when it was bestowed upon him.

"Show off." Of all the things going through Sidon's head and that was the one line that slipped out. He almost wanted to slap his hand over his mouth in embarrassment.

Link chuckled and shrugged. And that was it. The tension was broken like the first, thin ice on the reservoir in late autumn.

Sidon wanted to ask if this was his answer. If this was how Link accepted the invitation. "Most impressive. A very fine form you are in." Sidon forced himself to stay calm. It was perhaps not the most suave comment. "It looked good." You looked good, he wanted to add.

There was an adorable flush to the top of Link's cheeks, contrasted beautifully by the blue and silver tones of his armour's headpiece. Which honestly, Sidon had never considered where he'd found, anyway. From what he'd thought, that part had been long since lost.

Before he could stop himself, Sidon reached out and put his hand against Link's cheek. He could feel the heat through his own skin and marvelled at it. Zora skin wasn't as warm as Hylian, obviously, and as he watched, Link tilted his head slowly to the side, never breaking eye contact with Sidon. Tilted his head until it was pressed lightly against Sidon's hand.

An invitation, perhaps.

Sidon reached up with the other, framing Link's face between his large hands. One would perhaps think Hylians were fragile people. He'd made that mistake once or twice himself, but once he'd witnessed the Champion throwing himself fearlessly at an enemy, he could never quite manage that thought again. And seeing the Hylian deftly gaining access to Vah Ruta without any fear for his own safety… well, safe to say that he'd started worrying more about Link not valuing his own life and safety enough.

Link lifted his own hands and put them on the outside of Sidon's. With a small nod, he pushed their joined hands upward, taking the helmet with them.

The hair had often fascinated Sidon, but he'd never been bold enough to ask if he could touch it. Would it feel as soft as it looked?

Not ready to fight the compulsion to touch, Sidon let go of the headpiece with one hand and reached out, watching as Link's expressive eyes closed at his touch. The stark contrast of his own red and pale skin against the blonde strands of hair. While not quite as soft as he'd dreamed, Sidon felt he didn't want to ever let go. If Link would allow him to touch like this whenever the urge grew too big to fight, then Sidon would be content.

As the bright moonlight lit up the luminous stone structures, Sidon wondered how he could have offered a seduction when clearly he was the one being seduced. Yet he'd never complain, wouldn't dream of it.

In the end he'd dared opening _that_ door and even a reappearance of Ganon would not make him close it again.

**Author's Note:**

> [Mr. Gaiman](https://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/18932682858/as-requested-by-too-many-people-making-the-last) did at one point answer a question in regards as to how one would seduce a writer. As writers lean towards living in our own heads, we won't necessarily notice if you flirt with us. (This explains so many things).
> 
> So he mentioned sending a cheerful note saying "YOU ARE INVITED TO A SEDUCTION" including place, dinner, etc. This struck me as hilarious - and such a good way to do it.


End file.
